Be Playful
Play – at any age – is great for everyone’s health and wellbeing. Get messy and fire up those senses!
Be Playful
Play - at any age - is great for everyone's health and wellbeing. Get messy and fire up those senses!
Be Playful
Play – at any age – is great for everyone’s health and wellbeing. Get messy and fire up those senses!
Chick Bowling
What do chicks and bowling have in common… usually nothing but with this Spring themed activity, the two go hand in hand, or would that be wing in wing?
Making your own bowling pins that look like chicks, and enjoy this active game inside or outside.
Drum/Shaker
Music is a expressive way to communicate, to explore your senses, to engage in creative play and spice up any story.
You don’t need fancy instruments or sheets of music to engage in this creative pass time.
Drum shakers can be made at home using recyclable material. Take this expressive art to your level and enjoy.
Match the Eggs
Egg Matching games are a fun way not to only explore Spring and Easter but to explore language development, matching, colours and fine motor skills.
A fun educational game for all ages.
Foam Soap
Foam Soap exploration is a fun way to explore the sense of touch. Add in different textures and smells to make this a more rounded sensory experience.
Can be done indoors or outdoors, and can be as messy as you like!
St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin
Today is St. Patrick’s day and as such we have created a fun themed sensory bin to allow you explore some of the things associated with this day!
Gold Coins, Rainbows and Shamrocks! Oh my!
Balloon Mat
Have someone who loves to bounce but no space for a trampoline? Then we have the solution!
Balloon mats are a fun and safe way to bounce and play in the home. Create a fun way get the feedback so many enjoy from bouncing.
Fan Activity
Throw Back Thursday! And we are throwing back to one of our early activities.
This is a fan activity that allows you to explore senses, with paper and fans or hairdryers (please be care when using fans and hairdryers)
Valentines Maths Game
Another Valentines day themed post for you all. This time a Valentines Maths Game.
Exploring numbers, counting and sequencing in this fun themed game
Valentines Colour Match Game
With Valentines day coming up we have some themed activities for you this week to explore Valentines day in a fun, sensory and educational way.
First up is a Valentines Colour Match Game, learn about colours and matching in a simple way.
Shaving Foam Play
Shaving foam play is a great way to explore your senses.
You can make it educational by adding letters, finding them then explore the letter by writing or thinking of words that start with that letter.
Sensory Scottish Folk Songs
Our second Burns night activity for you. Turning Scottish Folk songs into a sensory and fun experience for the whole family!
Grab containers and fill them, now you are ready to shake along to your favourite Scottish Songs.
Sensory Balloons
Sensory balloons are a great way to explore new sounds, new sensations as well as using them for relaxing, calming effects and even as instruments!
Fill with pasta, rice, shaving foam or beads and get exploring!
Treasure Basket
Treasure baskets are a great way to explore objects and world around you.
Explore the senses, what sensations and feelings you enjoy and dislike, taking the time for one to one interaction.
Sorting Boxes
Sorting boxes are a great way to explore learning, match by colour, shape, size, or number.
It is a great way to use any spare boxes you have from Christmas Presents and allows you to have a fun way to explore language, maths, sorting and turn taking.
Sensory Sorting
Sensory Sorting is a great way to explore the senses and learn at the same time.
Sort by clue, shape, size, allowing you to explore language and maths in a concrete and fun way.
Shakers
Make your own musical instruments to bring some fun and noise to the house.
All you need is a plastic bottle and some rice or pasta to make these shakers. Play along to your favourite songs, or make up your own, just let the music be the activity!
Sock Snowman
Looking for an activity to do to keep the children busy over this Christmas period?
Then try this fun activity of making a Sock Snowman! Grab some socks and rice and get making snowman, minus the snow!
Santa’s Almost Here! Sensory Rhyme
It’s Christmas Eve, and we have a fun sensory rhyme to get into the Christmas spirit.
Grab some tinsel, keys, blankets and bells and explore the rhyme Santa is nearly here!
Merry Christmas!
Easter Chicks
“Cheap, cheap, cheap.” That is the sound of our Easter Chicks that have come out to play. Gillian creates her own sensory chick to explore and you can too!
Cut out your own chick, grab different sensory materials and get exploring!
Gingerbread Gloop
Gloop and the smells of Christmas?! What more could fun could you have?
Jayne our Early Years Advisor, shows us how to make gloop a Christmas affair, with ginger spices, sparkle and cookie cutters! Watch the video to see how to do this sensory activity.
Christmas Play Dough
Another fun Christmas activity brought to you by our Early Years Advisor Lesley.
Here she shows us how to make a Christmas play dough, a fun way to enjoy play dough whilst making it a Christmas experience!
Christmas Sensory Bottles
Our Early Years Advisor Lesley, shows us how to make some fun Christmas themed sensory bottles.
Enjoy the sensory experiencing, whilst experiencing the relaxing and calming properties these bottles can have!
Let It Snow!
Just because it isn’t snowing outside doesn’t mean you can’t have some snowy fun indoors!
Our Early Years Advisor Jayne (yes dressed as a reindeer) shows you a simple, fun, two ingredient fake snow you can make! So Let It Snow!
Pom Pom Play
Pom Pom play is a great way to have some winter themed fun in the house! Early Years Advisor Gillian shows you one game you can play with Pom Poms.
If you don’t have Pom Poms to hand just click the link to see how to make them!
Bird Feeders
Another video brought to you by our Early Years Team. This time showing you how to make bird feeders.
Winter is a great time to get feeding birds and what better way than with something quick and easy to make whilst being environmentally friendly?
Body Tapping
Here is another video from our Early Years Team, with our Advisor Gillian showing you how to do body tapping.
This is a great on body experience, allowing you to take time out and tune into each others responses and needs.
Sensory Umbrella
Sensory Umbrellas are a great way to explore your senses, fine motor skills and eye movements. Lie down, sit with it, do it as a solo activity or with a parent or sibling.
Who knew umbrellas weren’t just for rainy days?
Bowling Alley
Bring the fun and excitement of a bowling alley directly into your home.
Taking plastic bottles, decorate, grab a ball or some rolled up socks and let the fun commence!
Treasure Basket
Treasure baskets are a great and fun way to explore your senses and introduce the world around you.
Grab a basket, some house hold items, and get exploring. That’s a lot of fun in one small basket!
Gloop
Gloop is a fun, messy, sensory activity. Jayne, one of our Early Years Advisors shows you how to make this gloopy activity.
Use it as a sensory activity, or as a simple science experiment. You’ll be surprised how much fun it can be!
Fun with Fans
Sensory exploration can be challenging for anyone, especially when some of the senses are limited or gone completely. We are number one fans of this…err…fan activity. Gillian demonstrates how you can explore wind and paper in a way you might not have before. Cool!
Winter Themed Sensory Bin
Winter activities are a great way to explore the season and have sensory fun at the same it.
Our Winter Themed Sensory Bin takes all the parts of winter, puts them together and let’s you explore.
Hand Drawing
Another Flash Back Friday! This time it is our hand drawing activity.
This simple and fun activity, allows you to explore fine motor skills whilst drawing. Make it a family activity or a one to one experience.
Colouring Games
Colouring games is a great way to explore language, colours, and matching whilst doing fun games in the home! Make learning fun with these simple games.
Shaving Foam Fireworks
Firework events might be cancelled but we have a way to bring in the joy of the Fireworks, without the loud bangs, cold weather and crowds!
Shaving foam fireworks are a great way to enjoy firework night whilst explore your senses.
Homemade Party Poppers
Firework events might be cancelled but we have a way to bring in the joy of the Fireworks, without the loud bangs, cold weather and crowds!
First up we have home made party poppers. Bring the sparkle and fun of fireworks into your home.
Spooky Spaghetti
Happy Halloween! Here is a fun activity for this afternoon.
Spooky Spaghetti is a fun sensory experience that can be used not just for Halloween but at anytime!
Explore fine motor skills, the senses and Halloween all in one.
Pumpkin Sensory Bin
Halloween is still the theme this week and this time we have a sensory bin activity.
Make a Halloween Sensory Bin to explore all the fun things that Halloween has to offer, pumpkins, ghosts, and spiders, Oh My!
Pumpkin Sensory Play
What would Halloween be without Pumpkins? But carving them isn’t the only fun you can have with them.
Why not try Pumpkin Sensory Play? Decorate the pumpkin, fill with shaving foam and explore! It’s Pumpkin time!
Halloween Jelly
Halloween is the name of the game, and here is a Jelly activity to get in the mood.
Halloween Jelly allows you to explore the senses, fine motor skills and just have a Jelly good time!
Train Tracker
Love Trains? Then we have the app for you. Get Train Tracker on apple (£2.99), build fun train tracks, hit play and enjoy the sound effects!
All aboard for fun and creativity. Choo, Choo!
Number Games
Number games are a great way to introduce math in the home. Not only is it helping number recognition, and matching skills it can also help with fine motor skills.
Use it as a fun game and help build confidence in numbers.
Memory Pairs App
Memory pairs app (apple, £2.99), allows you to explore memory and matching whilst exploring language.
Just choose a category, how many tiles you want and get playing. Make learning interactive and fun!
Sock Puppet App
The Sock Puppet App (free and on apple products) is a fun interactive app, allowing you to create your own stories to play back through the fun of sock puppets.
Be silly, create social stories, or use it to recap your day or favourite memories!
Ribbon Whisks
A simple but fun activity, Ribbon Whisks allows you to promote fine motor skills, and hand eye co-ordination.
Use as a stand alone activity, or use the whisk in songs or stories to add an extra layer of sensory fun.
Shaving Foam Dough
Sensory Shaving Foam dough, makes a fun sticky and fragrant dough that is fun to play with.
Add food colouring, glitter, and different smells to make this a intense sensory experience. Keep it up to a week in an airtight container to keep the fun going!
Shaving Foam Cleaning
Know some who loves to clean? Or wants to learn how to keep things clean? Then we have that activity.
Shaving foam cleaning, is a fun, sensory activity that allows some to experience cleaning whilst enjoying a sensory session.
Bubble Snake
Love bubbles? Then this activity just might be for you.
Bubble snakes are a fun and creative way to play with bubbles. Using dish soap, food colouring, a sock and a bottle you can create one long bubble (looks like a snake) that is colourful and fun!
Bla Bla Bla App
The Bla Bla Bla app (apple) can help with encouraging vocalisations and speech development.
The louder the noise, or making different noises at different pitches creates different effects allowing the person to explore their voice in an engaging manner.
Shaving Foam Slime
Shaving foam slime, makes a light, fluffy slime that is fun to play with.
Add food colouring and scents to make it a multisensory experience.
Keep for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container.
Homemade Wipeable Boards
Wipeable boards are a great way to keep the fun of drawing, painting, or colouring in going.
Here we have made up a make-up board for those that love doing nails! A homemade wipeable board allowing you to keep the nail painting going all day.
Little Room Activity
Explore your senses with this fun Little Room Activity. Based on Lilli Nielsen’s configuration we have shown you how to make a little room at home.
Grab a box, some household items and get exploring!
Fine Motor Whisk Activity
Building up fine motor skills can be fun and simple.
This whisk activity allows you to explore fine motor skills, communication and the sense.
Use a hand held whisk and simple items from around the house to enjoy this activity.
Gloop
Gloop is a quick, simple and fun sensory activity.
With just two ingredients, explore the properties of solid and liquids as gloop blurs the lines between the two.
You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll want to keep playing with it
Sensory Box
Sensory boxes are a great way to explore the senses of touch, sound, and smell.
Grab the sponges, bubble wrap and pom poms to make this fun sensory activity. Change the items to keep the fun going!
Sensory Table-Top Exploration
Sensory table top exploration is a great way to allow someone to explore their senses in fun and mess free way!
Using filled plastic bags with things from around your home, you can explore different sensations in a way that gives them freedom and choice.
Parachute Games
Parachute games is a great way to have fun with the whole family.
Make learning fun, by including colour recognition, numbers and matching. Make song time different by using the parachute.
A great way to encourage movement and motor skills.
Baking Soda Play Dough
Play dough is a fun and sensory experience. Great for exploring colours, shapes, senses and fine motor skills.
This recipe for playdough is made with baking soda and water! Simple and easy to make for hours of fun!
Dundee Science Centre: Early Years Week
Dundee Science Centre are running an early years week, from 10th-16th August, with new posts everyday.
They are exploring senses and things to do in the home.
Follow the videos or load the instructions to do these fun, sensory activities in the home.
Sensory Bag
Sensory Bags are a great activity that not only provides sensory experiences but can be used to help relax and calm the individual using them.
You can add things to personalise the bags, whilst encouraging someone to explore their senses without getting messy!
Homemade Stress Ball
Stress balls are a good way to channel stressful energy, as well as anxieties, or during over stimulating environments.
Make your own, personalise it, and take it with you where ever you might need it.
Soapy Fun
Washing hands has become the forefront these last few months.
But there are still some who struggle with the length and process required.
Soapy fun is an activity that will allow someone to have sensory fun, whilst washing their hands!
Soap and water is all you need!
Sorting and Matching Game
This fun sorting and matching game, allows you to explore numbers, language and fine motor skills all in one!
It will allow you to be playful whilst learning.
Elephant Mask Play
Elephant mask play, is a fun interactive activity.
Make your own masks, and make song time more exciting.
Sing along or make up your own stories.
Elephants are just one of the fun animals you could make!
Maths Fun
Looking for ways to make maths more fun? Here are some easy to make and play games from our Early Years team to keep learning fun and interactive. The whole family can be involved, ensuring family time, learning and fun all rolled into one.
Food Bingo
Sharpen up those makaton skills (as well as a few others) by playing Food Bingo. If you have access to a printer then this kit from Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership’s speech and language therapy has everything you need to play and to get the whole family involved. Who will be first to shout “BINGO!”?
Flamingo Chicks
We loved it when the Flamingo Chicks came to visit us in 2018 to help us celebrate what children can do through dance. Their accessible and inclusive dance workshops for all ages and all abilities are now online and so much fun to do at home. Explore space, pretend to be a pirate or become a neuron as you whizz around the human body.
What Moms Love
If you can adapt to the Americanisms like ‘Mom’ and ‘sidewalk’ then there’s a lot to like about this website which features indoor and outdoor games ideas. Here’s an old classic – drawing on the pavement!
The Imagination Tree
If you’re looking for a variety of practical, yet playful, experiences to try at home to keep everyone engaged then have a gander at The Imagination Tree.
Their ‘Survival Guide’ has plenty of activities and ideas for all the family to do together.
Little Learning Club
Here’s a fun sensory activity, a different take on painting…(which can also be used without paint). All you need is some bubble wrap and the web address of the Little Learning Club.
Messy Little Monster
There’s lots of easy-to-create indoor and outdoor experiences for children on the website of Messy Little Monster. Everything from creating your own Jurassic Park in a jar to a nature walk scavenger hunt. There’s plenty to keep wee ones…and big ones occupied.
Hello Wonderful website
The Hello Wonderful website has a wide selection of activities developing skills such as problem solving, fine and gross motor skills and opportunities to engage the imagination. Most of the items needed can be found in the family home. Bonus!
Bath paint
Here’s a favourite of our Early Years team. This is a fun and interactive activity which is easy to do – all you need is some hypoallergenic shaving foam, food colouring and paint brushes. It’s a great activity for developing hand and eye coordination, fine manipulative skills and joint engagement. See the Imagination Tree website.
Learning 4 Kids
If it’s messy play you like, then Learning 4 kids website provides clear easy to follow instructions on how to make gloop – a sensory activity which can be created within the family home. This gives the opportunity to explore and play.
The best ideas
The best ideas website has a variety of over 100 activity ideas – a good variety of educational, sensory , arts and crafts and physical activities.
Childhood 101
Childhood 101 provides ideas to keep families busy with 31 examples of sensory activities which you could do over 31 days. These are easy to set up and develop fine manipulative skills, gross motor skills, whilst providing the opportunity to problem solve.
Holiday pirates
The Holiday pirates website allows children who love animals the chance to see animals live … without leaving the family home. There is a list of virtual museums and 13 zoos and aquariums that are offering live streams of their animals available for accessing.
Early Years Facebook page
Why not look up Sense Scotland’s Early Years team Facebook page where you can get regular updates of some fun activities to try out?
